Mar 07
On March 4, 2017 WLIO Lima aired a piece regarding the recent news that Council on Rural Services is expanding in Auglaize county. Check out the video above or at https://youtu.be/LmYQOumEef4. A big thank you to all those involved.
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Feb 28
ST. MARYS — As a part of a $290 million nationwide expansion award announced by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and Administration for Children and Families, the Council on Rural Services (CORS) received an award of $915,794 for a supplemental preschool grant. “It was wonderful,” Council on Rural Services Public Relations Coordinator Deborah Brayfield said. “One of the things that’s changing, the new Head Start rules that came down and performance standards, says that we have to move to having fullday centers instead of part-day centers and they have to be completed by 2021. This will put us on track for starting that movement to having fullday centers. This was our first step on that, of moving from part-day centers to full-day centers. “It was wonderful to get it and to be able to serve children (for a) longer period of time. We have some full-day centers in other counties right now, but we don’t have any in Auglaize County at this point.” The funds were allocated by Congress as a down payment toward ensuring almost all preschool-age children in Head Start attend programs that operate full time, as announced in the new standards that must be fully met in 2021. “We wrote a grant and submitted it,” Brayfield said, “and we were waiting to hear back. The money that was allocated was all over the United States, and we were waiting to hear back if ours was approved. We heard back from the Head Start program department of health and human services.” The grant includes funds to increase staff by approximately 22 positions and startup funds to fully equip the three new classrooms. All these full-day classrooms will open in fall 2017. To comply with the new standards, all of the CORS Head Start funded centers must expand minimum teaching time to 1,020 hours per year. The awarding of the grant enables Kids Learning Place to start meeting the benchmark by converting the Head Start services in several locations. One of those locations, St. Marys, will open two new, six hour, full day Head Start classrooms with 40 child slots. CORS is currently searching for an available facility in St. Marys and hopes to open a center in St. Marys in the fall. “Right now, we don’t have an area (to teach the children),” Brayfield said. “We’re really looking for a building and things like that. If people know about a building that would be licensable for children and everything, we’re really looking at that and want to get that underway.” CORS, a non-proft social service agency, runs Early Start/Head Start programs in nine counties and runs youth programs — Gateway Youth Program and Achievement Center for Educational success — in two counties. Head Start, a federally funded preschool program for children ages three to five, gives children from low income families, families experiencing homelessness, families with foster children or families of children with disabilities the chance to come into the program and attend preschool free of charge. “It’s important for them,” Brayfield said. “There’s so much new research out that says early childhood is when children learn the most and the best and will get them more of that early childhood education while they’re still young before kindergarten.” Children used to attend preschool classes through the Head Start program at a facility in St. Marys, but the facility closed when funding changed. Currently, children in St. Marys who are enrolled in the program attend classes at the Wapakoneta facility. The Wapakoneta facility, a facility with four partday classrooms where preschool children come in the morning and afternoon in two different classrooms, is being changed into a full-day program. As a result, Auglaize County will now have two full-day centers in Wapakoneta and hopes to open two full-day centers in St. Marys. For the full-day schedule in Head Start programs, children will attend preschool for six hours instead of the 3.5 hours on the part-day schedule. Currently at the Wapakoneta location, there’s two morning classes children attend and two afternoon classes children attend for 3.5 hours. Finding a facility in St. Marys for children to attend preschool classes will not only enable CORS to serve more children, but it will shorten the bus ride for children, as they will no longer have to ride all the way to Wapakoneta. “Overall, we’ll able to serve more children because we’ll be serving the St. Marys children in St. Marys, which will make more room for children in Wapakoneta, where we’re busing them now,” Brayfield said. “The kids will be on the bus (for a) shorter length of time; it will be much better all the way around to have a neighborhood center versus going all the way to Wapakoneta.” For more information or to suggest a possible facility for the St. Marys location, contact Brayfield at 937- 778-5220.
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Feb 13
Through an increased federal investment in quality for early childhood education, Council on Rural Services (CORS) is receiving an award of $915,794 for supplemental preschool grant. This is part of a $290 million nationwide expansion award announced by the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, Administration for Children and Families (HHS). Congress allocated the new funds as a down payment toward ensuring that nearly all preschool-age children in Head Start attend programs that operate full-time as announced in the new standards that must be fully met by 2021. These new Head Start standards place higher emphasis on a vision of evidence-based, data-driven and outcomes-focused services. These new standards are a significant and positive step forward for the future of Head Start and the success of the children and families later in life. Within the new standards, all CORS Head Start funded centers must expand minimum teaching time to 1020 hours per year. The awarding of this grant enables Kids Learning Place to begin meeting this benchmark by converting the Head Start services in these most critical locations: • Van Wert County will convert their existing part-day classrooms and now have two 6-hour full day Head Start classrooms with 40 child slots. • Auglaize County in Wapakoneta will convert their existing part-day classrooms and now have two 6-hour full day Head Start classrooms with 40 child slots. • Auglaize County in St. Mary’s will open two NEW 6-hour full day Head Start classrooms with 36 child slots. • Logan County will re-open a Bellefontaine classroom and convert it to a full day Head Start classroom with 20 child slots. • Darke County will increase the hours of their existing Union City classroom to include the full day standard of 1020 hours per year. This grant includes funds to increase staff by approximately 22 positions and startup funds to fully equip the three new classrooms. All these full day classrooms will open in the fall of 2017. All the above existing classrooms currently have awards for the highest recognition of “Five Stars” in Ohio’s “Step Up to Quality” program through the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services. Dan Schwanitz, CEO at CORS said, “What CORS is most proud of is that for over 40 years we have been a leader in early childhood education in Ohio. We have a history of achieving outcomes for children both by supporting their health and learning and by enabling their families to achieve their own goals for education, employment, stability, and success. This additional funding will continue to expand these outcomes.” Kids Learning Place currently offers Head Start services to 1,364 children in their nine county service area through funds from HHS and the Child and Adult Care Food Program. “Last September we transitioned 589 children to kindergarten who are ready to learn, healthy, and developmentally on target,” said Liz Pfenning, Early Childhood Director. “They have self-help skills and can regulate their behaviors and feelings in-group settings. As important, their parents are involved in their schooling; they have the leadership skills and confidence to advocate for their child’s needs and to participate on parent committees. We here at CORS build lifelong learners in children and parents who set and achieve goals.” For more information about the changes call our toll free number 1-866-627-4557 and talk with Liz Pfenning. Also, check our Web site at www.kidslearningplace.org or “like” our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/kidslearningplace. Council on Rural Services provides education and support through Kids Learning Place™, Head Start, Early Head Start, Gateway Youth Programs, and Achievement Center for Educational Success (ACES), in their nine county service area
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Dec 24
Thanks to the Dayton Parent Magazine for helping us share the information about Early Head Start and Head Start. These are federal funded school readiness programs that are open to help children be ready for kindergarten. Take advantage of what these local program offer for your families Read full article ⇒ Parent Magazine Article
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Dec 17
A big thank you to Senator Bob Hackett for visiting us at the Kids Learning Place in Fairborn. A wonderful visit as we stopped to see the infants and toddlers while they were sleeping and talked with the staff. Thanks for listening to our successes as well as our difficulties.
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Dec 14
Thanks to Jim Jordan for visiting our Logan County-Kids Learning Place classroom at Indian Lake Elementary School. The kids and staff welcomed the Congressman, showed him around the classroom, and we loved sharing info about the children’s successes in getting them ready for kindergarten and their futures. Also, thanks to the Indian Lake Schools staff for all the great comments about our Head Start program.
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Dec 10
The Kids Learning Place in Van Wert welcomed Senator Cliff Hite to the center. What a wonderful visit to both the Head Start classrooms and discussion about our successes in getting the children ready for kindergarten and challenges for the future. Thanks for visiting!
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Dec 07
The Fairborn Kids Learning Place welcomed Rick Perales for Ohio to our child care and Head Start centers. After visiting each of the classrooms Representative Perales and our Board of Trustees sat down and talked about early childhood programs and the challenges we face in working to get our young children ready for kindergarten. Thanks for visiting and listening to our successes as well as our difficulties!
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Jul 28
Council on Rural Services (CORS) is pleased announce that three of our Head Start parents have been named to the Ohio Head Start Parent Ambassador program. Chosen are Dana Gwinn and Jodi Helmandollar from Miami County/Piqua and Felicia Watson from Miami County/Troy. Liz Schoonover, Early Childhood Director said, “I am beyond proud to have three parents from CORS Head Start and Early Head Start programs participating in the Ohio Head Start Association Inc. (OHSAI) Parent Ambassador Program this coming year. Each parent has been active in advocating for their children locally. Each parent has a unique story to tell. Each parent has a success to be proud of. I am honored that I will be accompanying three of our finest parents to Capitol Hill during the National Head Start Winter Leadership Institute in January 2017.” These three Head Start representatives will participate in a year-long parent advocacy and leadership training by attending the OHSAI meetings bi-monthly. These trainings are focused to teach the parents to be an advocate for Head Start on a local level as well as the state and national level. The Ambassadors will complete over 60 hours of trainings on a wide variety of topics some of which include: self-awareness where they will learn to see their own strengths and capabilities and how to use them, There will also be discussions of speaking publicly, helping them to identify their own story and to put it in a short and meaningful delivery. They will learn about protocol for visiting the US Congressional Offices in preparation for the Leadership Institute and visiting their local US Congressional and Senate Offices. Watch for more information as we keep you updated on their progress and visit in January to Washington DC. For more information about the services of Council on Rural you can call 937-778-5220, check our Web site at www.councilonruralservices.org or “like” our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/councilonruralservices Council on Rural Services provides education, support, and volunteer services through Kids Learning Place™, Head Start, Early Head Start, Gateway Youth Programs, Achievement Center for Educational Success (ACES) and Community Connectors in their 9 county service area
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The Kids Learning Place is continuing enrollment for the Head Start preschool program for Fall of 2016, call before it is too late. Head Start is a comprehensive early childhood development program that serves low-income children from ages birth to five years and their families at NO COST. It is a federally funded program operated by Council on Rural Services in Auglaize, Champaign, Darke, Greene, Logan, Miami, Shelby, and Van Wert County. Children who attend Head Start programs are involved in school readiness that includes literacy, language, science, mathematics, and social-emotional development. They also receive medical and dental services, are served healthy meals and snacks, and enjoy playing safely indoors and outdoors. How do you enroll your children for the fall? Full day preschool services (6 hours) will be available at locations most counties , with part day preschool classes (3 ½ hours) available in all counties. Another option is home based learning covering the whole county with staff visiting families (1 ½ hours) each week and periodic group socializations. Call today for information about the NO COST services to children that are income eligible, in foster care or homeless. The program also allocates 10% of the slots for children with diagnosed special needs. To secure your child’s spot call our toll free local number at 1-866-627-4557 right away. Check our web site at www.kidslearningplace.org for more location information. Council on Rural Services provides education and support services through Kids Learning Place™, Head Start, Early Head Start, Gateway Youth Programs, Achievement Center for Educational Success (ACES) and Community Connectors in their nine county service area.
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